Savage’s Impulse in 6.5 Creedmoor
Test results at the range
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Despite this straight-pull rifle boasting a Proof Research carbon-fibre barrel, the accuracy still surprised me. To be more precise, the 11 hunting factory ammo groups averaged 0.698, while the two match ammo groups averaged just a tab tighter at 0.540. The star of the show was Winchester Deer Season, with a 0.358-inch group. When overlapped, all 13 groups—encompassing 39 shots in all—did not exceed 1.5 inches. Those are simply outstanding results. For hunting deer-sized game with the Impulse, I would opt for Winchester Deer Season 125-grain, and for larger game, Hornady Precision Hunter 143-gain ELD-X would top my list with its 0.582 accuracy.
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FACTORY AMMUNITION
| BRAND | BULLET | ADVERTISED VELOCICTY (FPS) | GROUP SIZE |
| Hornady Outfitter | 120-grain GMX | 2925 | .740 |
| Hornady Superformance | 120-grain GMX | 3050 | .860 |
| Hornady Precision Hunter | 143-grain ELD-X | 2700 | .576 |
| Federal Premium | 120-grain Trophy Copper | 2800 | 1.400 |
| Federal Premium | 130-grain Barnes TSX | 2825 | .676
|
| Fusion | 140-grain | 2750 | .582 |
| Barnes VOR-TX | 127-grain LRX | 2825 | .838 |
| Barnes VOR-TX | 120-grain TTSX BT | 2910 | .822 |
| Winchester Deer Season XP | 125-grain Extreme Point | 2850 | .358 |
| Winchester Expedition Long Range | 142-grain AccuBond | 2700 | .742 |
| Sako Gamehead Pro | 130-grain Tipped GameKing | 2855 | 1.272 |
FACTORY MATCH
| BRAND | BULLET | ADVERTISED VELOCICTY (FPS) | GROUP SIZE |
| Federal Premium Gold Medal | Berger 130-grain | 2875 | .495 |
| Federal American Eagle | 140-grain Open Tip Match | 2700 | .585 |
Note: All groups are three shots at 100 yards.
For more on the Savage Impulse, see Outdoor Canada’s Fishing Special 2024 issue or click this link.
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